Shoe for artistic dancing.



F. HENSOHEL] SHOE FOE ARTISTIC DANCING. APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1910.

1,079,941. Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

6 a a [Mm uuu u M! M011 unm .mHIl HI w- WITNESSES r 4 INVHVTOI? Wfiw i7 fiea'er clr Henschel ATTORNEYS CBLUMBXA PLANOGRAPH co. WASHINGTON, D, c.

FREDERICK HENSCHEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHOE FOR ARTISTIC DANCING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedDec. 2, 1913.

Application filed May 11, 1910. Serial No. 560,574.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK HENSCHEL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Shoe for Artistic Dancing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoes of unique construction for use in artistic dancing, but, as will be obvious, they are adapted to be used, also, in various other forms of theatrical work, such as in cake walking, etc.

From a structural standpoint, the new shoe, in its preferred form, comprises a broad base member, such as a snow shoe,

' having a shoe, of the general type of a moccasin, secured thereto at both its toe and heel, so as to become practically integral therewith.

In a modified form of the invention, the base member may be provided with suit.- able attaching or clamping devices, such 0. 57., as are used on skates, for detachably securing an ordinary shoe thereto.

The novel features of the invention, as well as their uses, will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate certain, though not all, of the practical embodiments of the invention and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the shoes positioned on a performer, and one way of using them; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a shoe on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a shoe; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of shoe; and Fig. 5 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the shoe shown in Fig. 4:.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 8, A designates the shoe or article of footwear as a whole, B, the enlarged base member thereof, having forward and rearward transverse or cross members, C, and D, re spectively, which three members form a frame work which is laced as shown with suitable material, such as cat gut, to form a sort of net work, all of which is substantially the same in construction as the well known snow shoe. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted to the particular form or contour shown. Alongitudinal member, E, extends between, and

is connected to, cross members, C, and I), and forms a support for a suitable shoe or, more accurately speaking, moccasin, F, adapted to embrace and be secured to the foot of the wearer as illustrated in Fig. 1.

In the preferred form of the invention, shown in Figs. 1 2 and 3, the shoe or moccasin is fixedly secured to the base member or longitudinal element, E, thereof, by attaching devices, such as nails or rivets, at both the heel and toe, thereby making said shoe or moccasin and the base member integral.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 the members, A, B, C, and E, correspond to the structural features, A, B, O, D, and E, respectively, in the first form described but the longitudinal member, E, has affixed thereto suitable heel and toe clamps, a, and b, respectively, operable by pivoted lever, a, similar to the clamping devices commonly used on skates. This construction permits the use of ordinary forms of shoes.

In both forms of the invention described the shoe or moccasin is secured to the foot of the wearer in any well known manner, such as by laces.

By training and experience, coupled with skill and deftness, users of the shoes described may perform many varieties of novel, diflicult and artistic stage work ranging from simple dancing and cake walking to the more difficult feats of balancing and toe work illustrated in Fig. 1.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An article of footwear embodying a base much larger, relatively, than the foot, and a shoe securely attached to said base at both the heel and toe of said shoe.

2. An article of footwear embodying a base composed of a framework much larger, relatively, than the foot, and a shoe fixedly secured to said base at the heel and toe of said shoe and intermediate thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK HENSOHEL.

WVitnesses:

JAs. H. GRIFFIN, H. I. BERNHARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

